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A generalized scaling for convective shear flows

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Abstract

During the last two decades, different scalings for convective boundary layer (CBL) turbulence have been proposed. For the shear-free regime, Deardorff (1970) introduced convective velocity and temperature scales based on the surface potential temperature flux,Q s , the buoyancy parameter, β, and the time-dependent boundary-layer depth,h. Wyngaard (1983) has proposed decomposition of turbulence into two components, bottom-up (b) and top-down (t), the former characterized byQ s , the latter, by the potential temperature flux due to entrainment,Q h . Sorbjan (1988) has devised height-dependent velocity and temperature scales for both b- and t-components of turbulence.

Incorporating velocity shear, the well known similarity theory of Monin and Obukhov (1954) has been developed for the atmospheric surface layer. Zilitinkevich (1971, 1973) and Betchov and Yaglom (1971) have elaborated this theory with the aid of directional dimensional analysis for a particular case when different statistical moments of turbulence can be alternatively attributed as being of either convective or mechanical origin.

In the present paper, we attempt to create a bridge between the two approaches pointed out above. A new scaling is proposed on the basis of, first, decomposition of statistical moments of turbulence into convective (c), mechanical (m) and covariance (c&m) contributions using directional dimensional analysis and, second, decomposition of these contributions into bottom-up and top-down components using height-dependent velocity and temperature scales. In addition to the statistical problem, the scaling suggests a new approach of determination of mean temperature and velocity profiles with the aid of the budget equations for the mean square fluctuations.

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Abbreviations

ATL:

alternative turbulence layer

CBL:

convective boundary layer

CML:

convective and mechanical layer

FCL:

free convection layer

MTL:

mechanical turbulence layer

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Author notes

  1. Sergej Zilitinkevich

    Present address: Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Moscow, Russia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany

    Sergej Zilitinkevich

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Zilitinkevich, S. A generalized scaling for convective shear flows. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 70, 51–78 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00712523

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00712523

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